I'm not vegan, but considering it, and so I've been increasing my consumption of legumes and soy products lately. Especially after I eat tofu, my arse turns into the Windy City! I don't think I'm intolerant, since it's not painful or anything, but there is just So Much Gas. Is this a common experience? How long does it take for the gut to get used to a legume-rich diet?

_________________I tend to hook up with people who give me chocolate, but I fail to see how this is a bad thing./tofulish

I'm not vegan, but considering it, and so I've been increasing my consumption of legumes and soy products lately. Especially after I eat tofu, my arse turns into the Windy City! I don't think I'm intolerant, since it's not painful or anything, but there is just So Much Gas. Is this a common experience? How long does it take for the gut to get used to a legume-rich diet?

It happens to me too... I have to make a conscious effort to remember not to eat tofu for breakfast on legs day at the gym.

I've also found that I can tolerate some legumes better than others. I love pinto beans, but they really do a number on my gut. Me and chickpeas get along just fine, same with navy beans.

That's true for me too. We usually stick to white beans, black beans, lentils and chickpeas. Still, I eat much more of them than before - used to be once or twice a week, and now it's almost every day. And tofu, like I said - I love it, but I'm a little sorry for whoever is sitting around me in class the next day...

_________________I tend to hook up with people who give me chocolate, but I fail to see how this is a bad thing./tofulish

Taking probiotics or digestive enzymes can help reduce the windy city effect. Beano isn't vegan, but there are others like Yes To Beans - silly name, but it works for me.

I've also found that I can tolerate some legumes better than others. I love pinto beans, but they really do a number on my gut. Me and chickpeas get along just fine, same with navy beans.

That’s funny, I am the opposite. Pinto beans and black beans don’t affect me much but chickpeas do. Tofu and Vegan Protein shakes are what really do it to me though.

To the OP, prepare for TMI lol... I have found that after your body has had a sufficient amount of time to clean itself out after giving up meat/dairy the odor associated with "windy city effect” goes away. It is still noisy, but hey, that’s the fun part. I have absolutely no science to back this up, just the personal experiences of myself and my mother (whom I live with, who is also vegan [I didn’t know if who or whom was appropriate so I used one of each!])

This is something I struggle with too. Health and budget-wise, beans seem to be the best option, but I have to be careful. I may just have sensitive guts in general (gluten and lactose intolerant), but here's what I've come up with that usually works for me:

1. No grey lentils. Ever. (Unless there are just a few scattered among some rice--no more than 1:5 bean to rice ratio!) May God(dess) send strength to anyone near me a few hours after I break this rule. Navy and Garbanzo seem easiest to digest. Red lentils, pinto beans, and black beans are usually fine in moderation (well-rinsed, if from the can).

2. If I make a big pot of black beans (the Venezuelan ones in Viva Vegan are awesome), I'm only allowed to have them one meal a day. It's tempting to follow Terry's advice to fry them up again in the morning to make Gallo Pinto for breakfast, and then take yet another serving to work for lunch, but it just should not be done!

3. Eat beans with lots of other non-bean items: rice, veggies, bread, potatoes, etc. I make sure to rotate tofu, tempeh, and nut-based meals with veggies and well-cooked potatoes to calm my stomach.

4. If I want to have lots of beans, it should be on a Friday or Saturday night, so I don't have to hold in *the toots* all day at work!

If tofu makes you gassy, you may want to keep an eye on whether you may have a soy issue. (It could just be that you're getting used to it.) I can have loads of tofu with no problem, but soy milk makes me feel a bit off, so I drink almond milk instead. I might try probiotics like someone recommended. If you have a gluten issue, watch out for one of the brands of probiotic juice, because all of its varieties contain barley malt. I used to drink it, and I wondered why I still felt bad!

Farting is like the funniest thing that can happen in our house between my girls and husband. I just tell my girls that it is only funny in front of family.

The ladies at my husband's work do not appreciate my meals because of how much my husband, well you know. He thinks it is hilarious though.

Anyways, I took probiotics before going vegan and didn't think they worked well. I starting taking them again, and boy do I notice a difference now. I am not really eating yogurt anymore, besides the occasional soy yogurt, so I like taking the probiotics.